Divine Level Witch Doctor

Seeing how confident Zhao Yuan was, Zhao Shiquan and Shen Lijun didn’t press the issue.

In their eyes, if Zhao Yuan could establish a medicinal herb planting base in the village, it would be a wonderful thing for the villagers, and even for the people in the surrounding communities.

Zhao Shiquan thought for a moment, then asked, ”Yuan, if you’re really going to set up a medicinal herb planting base, will you need to hire people to help take care of the plants?”

Zhao Yuan nodded. ”Definitely. I still have to go back to Rongcheng City for school, so I can’t watch over the planting base every day. Besides, I’m planning for it to be quite large. Our family can’t possibly handle it all by ourselves.”

Zhao Shiquan said, ”Look, when you hire employees, can you give priority to people from our village? You know, you were only able to go to university in Rongcheng City because our fellow villagers helped pitch in for your tuition. Now that you’ve made something of yourself, you can’t forget your roots. You have to repay them.”

Zhao Yuan couldn’t help but laugh. ”Dad, don’t worry. The whole reason I’m setting up the medicinal herb planting base here is to repay the kindness of our fellow villagers. I’ve already thought it through—I’ll prioritize hiring them for the base. I’m also planning to give them some shares and help everyone get rich together!”

Zhao Yuan had given careful thought to his plan of offering shares in the medicinal herb planting base.

For one, it was a way to repay their kindness. Zhao Yuan was the type of person to repay a drop of kindness with a gushing spring.

For another, it would give everyone a sense of ownership. With shares in the company, the villagers would treat the medicinal herb planting base as their own business and be that much more dedicated and responsible.

Of course, Zhao Yuan would also place some restrictions on the shares he gave the villagers. For instance, he would stipulate that the shares couldn’t be traded and could only be used to collect dividends. That way, he wouldn’t have to worry about ill-intentioned people trying to get their hands on the shares later on.

Zhao Shiquan was thrilled. He slapped his thigh and exclaimed, ”That’s my son! You know how to repay a debt of gratitude! Good, good, good! This is wonderful! As soon as we get back, I’ll take you to the village secretary to get the ball rolling on leasing the mountain for the planting base!”

Zhao Yuan smiled and nodded. He then brought up Zhao Ling. ”Right, there’s something else I wanted to discuss with you two. I’m planning to have Ling’Er move to Rongcheng City. The schools there are much better than here in the county. Ling’Er’s grades are already excellent. If she can get a better education in Rongcheng City, who knows? Maybe our family will have a national top scholar on our hands one day.”

Zhao Ling was thrilled; young people naturally yearned for the big city.

Zhao Shiquan and Shen Lijun didn’t agree immediately. They discussed it quietly for a moment before replying, ”You’re right. The education in a big city is definitely better than in our small county. If you can get Ling’Er transferred to a good school in Rongcheng City, we’re all for it!”

”Yay! I can go to school in Rongcheng City! I get to be in the same city as my brother!”

Zhao Ling was so excited she started dancing in her seat, startling the White Cat that was dozing in her lap. The cat let out an unhappy MEOW.

Zhao Yuan fondly ruffled her hair. ”Alright, don’t get ahead of yourself. Transferring schools isn’t something that can be done overnight. Besides, this semester is almost over. We’ll transfer you to a school in Rongcheng City next semester.”

Despite what he’d said, Zhao Yuan called Fang Yi right away to ask him to pull some strings and handle his sister’s school transfer.

”Is this going to be difficult?” Zhao Yuan asked after explaining the situation.

Fang Yi laughed. ”It would have been very difficult before, especially since you want to get your sister into one of the best schools in Rongcheng City. But now? It’s not a problem at all. Just wait for my good news!”

Fang Yi was full of confidence. With the recent roaring success of the Soul-Stabilizing Incense, Beauty Pills, and Vitality Pills, everyone was trying to curry favor with him. Pulling a few strings to handle Zhao Ling’s school transfer would be a piece of cake.

Zhao Yuan was delighted. ”I’m leaving it in your hands, then. Make sure you get it done right!”

”Don’t worry,” Fang Yi replied. ”I guarantee I’ll get it done.”

Fang Yi wouldn’t dare to drag his feet on anything concerning Zhao Yuan. The moment he hung up, he started making calls to sort it out.

The pickup truck pushed through the morning chill, climbing the winding roads until it finally arrived back at the village.

After Zhao Yuan and his family got out, Huang Jie said his goodbyes. ”President Zhao, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head out. Just let me know when you’re ready to go back to Rongcheng City, and I’ll come pick you up.”

”Why don’t you come in for a drink of water before you go?” Zhao Yuan offered. He was grateful to Huang Jie, who had been driving him all over for the past two days without a single complaint.

”That’s right, come on in and sit for a spell. There’s no need to rush off,” Zhao Shiquan and Shen Lijun added.

Of course, Huang Jie wanted to accept; it was a great opportunity to get closer to the big boss. But after thinking it over, he politely declined. ”There’s no need. I’m not tired. If I drive back to Rongcheng City now, I can even help haul a load for the factory.”

’After all, the boss’s family just reunited. It wouldn’t be right for an outsider like me to intrude.’

Seeing his resolve, Zhao Yuan didn’t insist, and simply watched Huang Jie drive away.

At this hour, the villagers were already awake, many having already started their day’s labor. When they saw Zhao Yuan’s family of four in the distance, a wave of excitement went through them.

”Brother Yuan is back!”

”Brother Yuan, how’s life studying in the big city?”

”I haven’t seen you in ages! How have you gotten stronger and more handsome, Brother Yuan? Looks like the big city suits you!”

Zhao Yuan was all smiles, greeting one villager after another. Zhao Shiquan and Shen Lijun did the same, loudly inviting everyone they saw, ”Come over for lunch today! We’re hosting a banquet!”

Their son was back and had made something of himself; of course they had to host a banquet to celebrate properly.

Back home, Zhao Yuan immediately took out the gifts he’d prepared for his family. Beautiful new clothes, bags, and accessories of all kinds dazzled his parents and sister. At Zhao Yuan’s urging, his parents and sister all changed into their new outfits and put on the jewelry he had given them.

The old saying ’clothes make the man’ was really true. After changing, his parents looked years younger. As for his sister, Zhao Ling, she looked even more radiant and beautiful than before.

The house was filled with the family’s cheerful laughter.

They enjoyed themselves for a good while, only stopping when neighbors started arriving at the door.

Shen Lijun and Zhao Ling took off their new outfits and changed back into their everyday clothes. They had to start cooking and didn’t want to get their new things dirty. The neighbors arriving were all there to lend a hand. That’s how things were in the mountain village: whenever a family hosted a banquet, all the women would come to help in the kitchen.

Zhao Shiquan, however, didn’t take off his new suit. Puffing out his chest, he led Zhao Yuan to find the village secretary. On the way, whenever he ran into a fellow villager, he would pat his suit and announce, ”A new suit. My son bought it for me. It’s a designer brand!”

His tone was dripping with boastful pride.